Machine for attaching and wiping labels on conduits or other cylindrical articles



May 26, \1953 J. WEIMONT 2,639,830

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING AND WIPING LABELS ON counurrs OR OTHER CYLINDRICALARTICLES Filed Jan. '7, 1950 5 Sheets$heet l LABEL SUPPLY SPOOL.'66

FIG. I.

CAM OPERATED RAM. 74 LABEL STRIP-Q? TUBE TO BE LABELLED. 62

PREssER FOOT F YIELDING PLAT oR r!| IN VEN TOR.

BY M

ATTORNEYS.-

SPINNING BELTr/ZZ J. WEIMONT 2,639,830 MACHINE FOR ATTACHING AND WIPINGLABELS ON CONDUITS OR OTHER CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTO R \M\KM ATTORNEY May 26, 1953 Flled Jan 7, 1950 May 26, 1953Filed Jan. 7, 1950 J. WEIMONT MACHINE FOR ATTACHING AND WIPING LABELS ONCONDUITS OR OTHER CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG2a.

ALITORNEY May 26, 1953 J. WEIMONT 2,639,830

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING AND WIPING LABELS 0N CONDUITS OR OTHER CYLINDRICALARTICLES Filed Jan. 7 1950 5 SheetsSheet 4 ATTORNEY M y 26, 1953 J.WEIMONT 2,639,830

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING AND WIPING LABELS ON CONDUITS OR OTHER CYLINDRICALARTICLES Filed Jan. '7, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.4. V/

r WI-IT" "F [uhi 1 i Patented May 26, 1953 MACHINE FOR ATTACHING ANDWIPING LABELS ON CONDUITS OR OTHER CYLIN- DRICAL ARTICLES JosephWeimont, Bogota, N. J., assignor to A.

Kimball Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationJanuary 7, 1950, Serial N 0. 137,306

15 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying labels to cylindricalarticles, including pipes and electrical conduit. The invention appliesmore particularly to apparatus for severing labels from a strip andapplying the separate labels by adhesive to the outside surface of thearticle.

One object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus that makesthe cutting, applying and smoothing of adhesive labels on cylindricalarticles entirely automatic, the articles being supplied to conveyorswhich carry them through the labeling machine and then discharge thelabeled articles from the other end of the machine.

One feature of the invention relates to the apparatus for cutting thelabels from a strip and applying the successive labels to the respectivearticles that are advanced to the attaching station by the conveyor. Ifthe apparatus is to be used with thermoplastic or water-moistenedadhesive, the label cutting and feeding feature is combined withapparatus for making the labels sticky as they pass beyond the cuttingapparatus. Other adhesives, such as pressure-sensitive adhesives, can beused if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a label-attaching machinefor elongated cylindrical articles with apparatus for rolling thearticles, after one edge of a label is attached, in order to apply thelabel smoothly over its entire area. This object is obtained by means ofapparatus that lifts the article part way out of the article holder ofthe conveyor, and that rolls the article in contact with a labelsmoothing surface while the article is in this elevated position.

Other objects of the invention relate to improved mechanism forcoordinating the intermittent movement of a conveyor with cutting andattaching apparatus at a label attaching station, and with articlerolling mechanism for wiping the label into contact with the articleover the full width of the label.

The invention comprises a combination of mechanisms including gears,cams, sprocket chains and an intermittent motion device combined in sucha way as to produce fully automatic cutting and applying of labels tocylindrical articles with operating parts that are simple and reliableinoperation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear orbe pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

2 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the principal elements of themachine which is shown in detail in subsequent-figures of the drawing.Fig. 1A is a side view, partly diagrammatic and partly in section,showing a labeling machine embodying this invention.

Figs. 2a and 2b are an end view, partly broken away, of the machineshown in Fig. 1A.

Fig. 3 is a detail viewof'the spring-supported platform that lifts thearticles part way out of the article holders prior to rolling.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, plan view of a portion of the machine shownin'Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the control mechanism forpreventing operation when there is no article in position to receive alabe The machine illustrated includes'a frame assembly having verticalcolumns l0 and an adjustable upper frame l3 supported on the columns l0and adjustable axially of the columns to accommodate conduits ofdifferent size. .The columns l0 extend upward from bearing plates l4(Fig. 2), and these bearing plates also-support fixed lower frameelements comprising pedestal bearings I 5. These pedestal bearingsI5support shafts l1 and [8 (Fig. 1A) on which there are ronveyorsprockets 20. I

An endless belt conveyor 2| extends between the sprockets 20 and hasvtransversely extending cleats 23 with sloping faces that form shallow Vdepressions between the successive cleats. The surfaces of these shallowdepressions comprise the article holders of the conveyonand there is arubber insert 25 extending for the full length of each cleat, but acrossonly an intermediate central portion of the width of each cleat in arecess 21, as shown in Fig. 2..

The shaft I8 extends beyond the pedestal hearing [5 at the right-handside of the machine and is connected with a Geneva wheel 30' throughwhich power is applied to the shaft I8 to produce intermittent angularmovement of the shaft. A thrust washer 132 bears against the hub of theGeneva wheel 30 and against an end face of another pedestal bearing 33which is a part of the fixed frame of the machine.

A Geneva driver and locking wheel 36 is located adjacent the Genevawheel 30 and has a drive pin 31 extending from one side for engagementin the notches of the Geneva wheel. This driver and locking wheel 36 ispinned to a drive shaft 38 that'turns in bearings connected with thefixed frame ofthe machine. There'isa gear 40 (Fig. 1A) secured to theshaft, and this gear 3 4t meshes with a larger gear 4| on a shaft 42.Power is supplied to the shaft 42 by a sprocket chain 44 running on asprocket 45 that is connected to the shaft 42.

The sprocket chain 44 extends around a takeup sprocket 4'! and a drivingsprocket 48 on a shaft 49. A larger sprocket is also connected to theshaft 49 and this larger sprocket 5| is driven by a sprocket chain 53from a smaller sprocket 54 on an output shaft 55 of a speed reducer 56which is driven by a variablespeed, power driving mechanism 58'ffiounted on top of the adjustable upper frame of the machine.

Continuous rotation of the drivin'gmechanisni 58 imparts continuousrotation to the Geneva driver and locking wheel 36, through the motiontransmitting connections already described, and the pin 31 of the Genevadriver engages the notches of the Geneva wheel which have their angularspacing coordinated with the conveyor 2| so that each intermittentmovement of the Geneva wheel 30-causes the conveyor 2| to move for adistance equal to thelength of one cleat. Thus when a conduit 6|islocated at the label attaching station during one period of dwell ofthe Geneva wheel 39, the next movement of the wheel and conveyor movethe conduit 6| beyond the attaching station and bring the nextsuccessive conduit 52 into exactly the same position at the attachingstation that was occupied by the conduit 8| during the preceding periodof dwell.

There are two similar conveyors 2| (Fig. 2) at opposite sides of themachine, and the frame of the machine is so constructed that a conduit6| extending across the space between the conveyors can move alongthefull length of th'econveyors without encountering any obstructions.Guide plates 64 on both sides of the machine beyond theconvey'crs 21provide limit stops for preventingaxialmovement of the conduits 6|, 62

on the conveyors. No apparatus for feeding conduits tothe conveyors orfor collecting them after they are discharged from the ends oftheconveyors are shown in the drawing since such handling-equipment isnota necessary part of the labeling machine and sucha showing isunnecessary for a complete'understanding of this invention. y

The region of the machine adjacent to the "conduit 6! in Fig. 14 is theattaching station of the machine. Labels are supplied to the attachingstation from a ree166 supportedon a bracket 61 from the upper frame ofthe -machine; The labels are wrapped on the reel 66 as a continuousstrip 68, and this strip 63 is fed downward across a guide roll 69 andthrough a paper guide 'H which includes a tension bar'i2 bearing againstthe top surface of the'strip 68 to maintain the strip undersome tensionduring the feeding operation, There are spaced feed slots in the labelstrip 68, preferably one feed slot for each label; and the strip oflabels is fed forward, one label at a time, by a feed paw1 (4 having astud 15 at its lower end in position to engage in the feed slot of eachsuccessive label.

The feed pawl His supported by a pivot ii at the lower end of a crankarm it. This crank armis connected to a shaft .3 0 from which a lever 82extends, A cam roller 83 at the free end of the level 82, runs in agroove 85 of a face cam 86.

A continuous and uniform rotat-ion is transmitted to the cam 86- fromthe driving mechanism 58 through a sprocket 54 and sprocket-chain 69which drive a chain sprocket 90 connected to a shaft 91, the same shaftto which the cam 86 is connected. The mechanical advantage of the motiontransmitting mechanism that rotates the cam is so correlated with thedriving mechanism for the Geneva driver 36 that the cam 86 makes onerevolution as the Geneva driver 36 makes one. The cam track 85 is shapedto impart motion to the feed pawl i4 so as to feed the label strip 68for a distance equal to the length of one label and in timed relation tothe other mechanism of the machine.

The end of the paper guide ll is spaced from the article 6| by adistance slightly less than the length of a label so that the endmostlabel 92 is tangent to andextends for a moderate distance over theconduit 6! when the upper end of the label is even with the end of thepaper guide II.

There is a knife blade or cutter 93 connected to a ram 94 whichreciprocates through a moderate length of stroke toward and from theconduit 6|. The ram 94 has a presser foot 96 in position to come intocontact with the label 92 and to push one edge of the label firmlyagainst the outside surface of the conduit 6 l. The lower end of thepresser foot 96 is preferably resilient so as to allow for manufacturingtolerances andfor some tolerance in the adjustment of the machineitself. I

The ram 94 slides in dovetailed guideways 98 connected to the adjustableupper frame of the machine. Movement of the ram M-along the guideways 98to bring the presser foot 96 into position where it forces the label 92against the conduit causes the cutter 93 to moveacross the label strip68 and sever the endmost label 92 from the strip.

' a nature that requires heat to make it sticky.

The strip 68 comes through the paper guide H with the adhesive-coatedside lowermost but not sticky; and there is a heater I00 located at theattaching station under a recess of the ram 94. This heater 106 issupported from the upper frame of the machine and in position to applyheat to the upper surface of the label'as the label is fed from thepaper guide to labelling position above the conduit 6|. This heat issufficient to make the'adhesive of the label-sticky as the label movespast the heater, and'the adhesive remains sticky for a substantialperiod of time while the conduit 6! is moved beyond the label attachingstation. The heater N30 is merely representative of apparatus foractivating the adhesive. 11? moistening is required, an application isplaced under the label. If pressure-sensitive adhesives are used, noactivators other than the ram are necessary.

The ram as has cam fcllower 32 which runs in a cam track We. formed in acam 104 which is similar to the cam 86 and secured to the same shaft 9iso that the two cams Stand 104 turn as a unit and always remain in thesame phase angle relation with one another. The cam track iii-3 shapedto give the knife '93 and pressure foot the intended sequence ofmovement duringeach cycle of operation of the machine. The

cam track its "is correlated with the cam track 85 so that the knife 93severs the 1abe1rrcm the strip during a period when the feed pawl 14 isretracted and is out of the path of movement of the knife.

There is a trip lever I95 located along one side of the conveyor at theattaching station. This trip lever is movable about a pivot fulcrum I08and the free end of the trip lever rests upon a microswitch H6. Whenthere is a conduit 6|, 62 at the attaching station, the weight of theconduit presses the trip lever I95 downward with sufficlent force tooperate the microswitch I II] in the control circuit of the mechanismthat drives thecams 86 and I64.

The shaft 9| is made up of two sections in axial alignment with oneanother. A clutch II2 connects the two sections of the shaft 9|. Thedriving element of the clutch is connected with the right-hand sectionof they shaft (Fig. 2) and the driven section of the shaft, on which thecams 86 and I64 are carried, is connected with the driven side of theclutch I I2.

In the preferred construction, the clutch I I2 is a one-turn clutch;that is, it disengages automatically after each revolution. Suchclutches, and control mechanism for them, are well known mechanicalexpedients and a detailed description of the clutch construction is notnecessary for a complete understanding of this invention. The control ofthe clutch II2 by the conduits on the conveyor will be described inconnection with Fig. 5.

After the conduits have passed beyond the attaching station with thelabel 92 attached to the conduit 6| along only one edge portion of thelabel, there are belts I22 for rolling the conduit 6| when it reachesthe dotted line position shown in Fig. 1A. These rolling belts I22 arelocated near the opposite ends of the conduit so as to apply theirrolling forces to the conduit without danger of shifting the conduitinto oblique positions on the conveyors such as might occur if therolling force were applied at only one end of the conduit. In theconstruction illustrated, there are four rolling belts I22, best shownin Fig. 2; and the rolling belts at the right hand end of the machinecontact with the conduit on both sides of the surface zone to which thelabel- 92 is connected.

Just before the conduit 6| comes into contact with the rolling beltsI22, the conduit is lifted up part way out of the conduit holders of theconveyors, that is, part way out of the V depression between thesuccessive cleats of the conveyor. The lifting of the conduit is done byplatforms I25, each having a cam face I26 that starts at a level belowthe bottom of the conduit and that slopes upward as illustrated in Fig.3. The purpose of this platform is to support the conduits on a surfaceon which they can roll more easily, and also to hold the conduitsagainst the rolling belt with a yielding force that is supplied bysprings I21 located under the platform I25. The springs I21 and themounting of each platform I25 will be described in connection with theexplanation of Fig. 3. For the present it is sufiicient to understandthat the platform I25 rests on springs that yield to provide space forthe conduit 6| between the platform I25 and rolling belt I22 while atthe same time maintaining the conduit pressed against the rolling beltwith a predetermined pressure that depends upon the compression of thesprings under the platform I25.

Each of the rolling belts I 22 (Fig. 1A) is an endless belt running onspaced rollers I36 and I31. The roller I36 is the driving roller and issecured to'a shaft I39 which is driven by a gear I46 from a larger gearI4I on a shaft I42. This shaft I42 is driven by a sprocket I44 which isrotated from the driving mechanism 56 through a chain I46, the slack ofwhich is adjustable by an idler I41. There are preferably threesprockets 54 on the shaft 55 for driving the respective chains 53, 89and I46. Since the sprockets 54 are all secured to the same shaft 55, itwill be evident that the various mechanisms driven by the chains 53, 89and I46 always remain in time relation with one another.

The roller I31 is supported from a shaft I49 and is an idler roller.-The lower run of the rolling belt- I22 between the rollers I36 and I 31is provided with a plurality of idler rollers I5I for holding the beltI22 down against successive conduits 6| passing through the spacebetween the conveyor 2| and the rolling belt I22. By preventingexcessive displacement of the lower run of the rolling belt I22, thepressure of the conduit 6| againstthe platform I25 is maintained morenearly uniform.

The shafts I39 and I49, and the axles of the rollers I5I are supportedfrom the upper frame I3 of the machine. This upper frame is adjusted bymechanism which will be described, so as to make the lower runs of therolling belts I22 hold the conduit 6| and platforms I25 down at a levelat which the conduit is in contact, preferably light contact, with therubber insert 25. As the conduit rolls, the label 92 is wiped across therubber insert and the entire adhesive-covered surface of the label ispressed against the surface of the conduit. The rolling belts I22 andthe platforms I25 are long enough to cause several complete revolutionsof the conduit, the actual number of revolutions depending upon thediameter of the conduit.

Beyond the end rollers I31 of the rolling belts I22, the platforms I25terminate and the conveyors 2| turn downward around their sprocket 29 sothat conduits on the conveyors drop off into a rack or other meansprovided for receiving them at the discharge end of the machine.

Fig. 3 shows the way in which each of the platforms I 25 is connected tothe frame I3 of the label attaching machine. The platform I25 has aplurality .of screws I54 extending downward through bores I 56 in theframe I3. These screws I54 are threaded into the bottom of the platformI25 but the portions of the screws that extend through the bores I56 aresmooth and have running clearance so that the screws are free to slideup and down in the bores. There are heads I58 at the lower ends of thescrews I54. These heads are located in counterbores.

Coil springs I21 are seated in recesses in the frame I3 and extendupward into contact with the bottom of the platform I25. These coilsprings are under s-ufiicient compression to force the platform, I25upward until the screw heads: I58 strike against the ends of thecounterbores.

When a conduit 6| is pressed downward against the platform I25, thesprings I21 yield suflicient- 1y to provide space for the passage of theconduit 6|, and the compression of these springs causes. them tomaintain an upward thrust on the platform I25 so that the conduit 6| isheld against the rolling belt I22 throughout the full length of thebottom run of the belt I22.

The platform, which is preferably of metal, has a lower coefficient offriction than the rolling belt. This causes the conduit to be rolledbetween the surfaces of the belt and platform-in the direction of thebelt travel, and as a result the direction of rolling is controlled andthe eventual complete sealing of the label around the conduit isperformed.

Mechanism is provided for moving the upper frame I3 on the verticalcolumns I to adjust the machine for articles of different size. Thismechanism includes a pinion I65 (Fig. 2a) secured to a shaft I66supported by bearings in a bracket I88 which forms a part of theadjustable upper frame I3. This pinion I95'meshes with a rack I18 on theface of an insert which is secured to one of thevertical posts orcolumns III. R tation of the pinion I65 causes it to move along the rackI18 and to raise or lower the upper frame I3 depending upon thedirection of rotation of the pinion.

The pinion IE5 is rotated by a worm wheel I12 secured to the shaft I68and meshing with a worm I14. This worm I14 is connected with a shaft I15that turns in bearings in the bracket I68, and there is a hand wheel I18for rotating the shaft I18 Whenever the adjustment of the machine is tobe changed. The pitch of the worm I18is low so that the worm providesa'self-locking motion-transmitting connection between the hand wheel I18and the rack and pinion that raise and lower the upper frame. Because ofthis self-locking feature, the upper frame will remain in any adjustedposition until the hand 1 wheel I18 is again operated to change theadjustment.

When the invention is embodied in a machine of small size, theadjustment of the upper frame la'can be effected by applying a raisingor lowering force to the frame I3 on one side only, as illustre-ted inthe drawing. On machines of larger size, however, it is desirable'toprovide rack and pinion mechanism, similar to the rack I18 and pinionI85, at both sides of the machine so as to move the upper frame I3uniformly without setting up excessive stresses in the frame. When therack and pinion mechanism is used on both sides of the machine, it maybe operated from. a single hand wheel.

Adjustment of the spacing of the upper frame I3 from the lower fixedportion of the machine moves the label feeding mechanism, the labelattaching ram, and the rolling belts toward or away from the conveyor.The supporting platforms I25 do not move with the upper frame, and thespacing between these platforms and the rolling belts is, therefore,increased or decreased by adjustment of the upper frame I3 toaccommodate conduits of different diameter.

Fig. 5 shows the way in which the operation of the clutch H2 iscontrolled by the presence or absence of articles on the conveyor at thelabel attaching station.

The clutch II2' has a trip cam I84 and a positive stopcam I85. A triplever I81 engages a shoulder of the cam I84 to cause the clutch todisengage. A stop lever I88 has a latch I89 at one end in position toengage in a notch I99 located in the periphery of the positive stop camI85.

The trip lever I81 and the stop lever I88 are supported on a commonpivot shaft I9I. Both levers are normally held in contact with theperipheries of their cams, the trip lever I81 by a tension spring I93and the stop lever I88 by compression spring I94.

A plunger I96 of a'solenoid I91 is connected with the trip lever I81.Whenever the solenoid I91is energized, the plunger I96 pulls the triplever I99 away from its-cam I84 against the tensionof the spring 1981.When the supply of electricity to the solenoid is shut off, the springI93 pulls the trip lever I81 back into contact with the trip cam I84 sothat the shoulder on the trip camwill again come into contact with theend-of the trip lever I81 as the trip cam rotates with the clutch.

There is a stud 280 extending. from one side of the trip lever acrossthe top of the stop lever I88. Whenever the trip lever I81 is pulleddown by thesolenoid I91, the stud 298 pushes the stop lever I88 downwardand withdraws the latch I89 from the recess I99 of the positive stop camI85.

The solenoid I91 is connected in the circuit with the microswitch -I ID.This switch I I8 is normally held-open by a spring and it is closed bypressure of the'trip lever --I 95 :at the label attaching' station whenthis trip lever has a conduit resting upon it. The presence of a conduiton the trip lever I95, therefore, closes the switch H0 and energizes thesolenoid I91 so that both of'the levers I81 and I88 are moved away fromtheir cams I88 and I85. This movement of the levers I81 and I83causesthe clutch to engage and rotate through one revolution.

If another conduit is brought to the label attaching station during thisrevolution of the clutch II 2, the trip lever I will be again depressed,and the levers I81-and I83 will be held away from their cams at the timethat the shoulder and notch of the cams come into the angular positionsat which they would be engaged by the levers I81 and I88. The clutchwill, therefore, make another revolution; and as long as successiveconduits are brought into position to depress the trip lever I85, theclutch remains engaged and-the machine continues to operate and applylabels to successive conduits as previously described.

If there is at-any time a depression of the conveyor in which no conduitis carried, the trip lever I will remain in raised position when thatdepression of the conveyor reaches the label attaching-station; and theswitch I II] will be open when the shoulder and notch of the cams I88and I85 reach the angular positions for contact with the trip lever I81and stop, lever I89, respectively. Since thesolenoid I91 is notenergized when the switchv I I8 is open, the trip lever I81 and stoplever I88 cause the clutch to stop and disengage so that movement of theconveyor can continue without having the label feed and label attachingmechanisms operate.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand-described but changes and modifications can be made and somefeatures can be used alone'or in different combinations withoutdeparting from the invention as defined in the claims What is claimedis:

1. A machine for applying adhesive labels to substantiallycylindrical'articles, said machine having a label applying station withmeans for moving a label into contactwith a limited portion of thelongitudinal length of an article at the station, a conveyor that movessuccessive articles to and beyond the'label applying station, apparatusbeyond the station in position to contact with a different portion ofthe longitudinal length of the articlefrom that to which the label wasapplied, said apparatus being movable in a direction to roll eachsuccessive article that-comes from said station, and a contact .pad

aclross which the label is wiped as the article r ls.

2. A labeling machine for generally cylindrical articles, said machineincluding a conveyor having spaced notches along its length for holdingsuccessive articles, a label applying station at a location along thecourse of the conveyor, means at said station that move a label intocontact with a limited portion of the longitudinal length of thearticle, a support extending along a part of the length of theconveyor-in position to lift articles part way out of the notches of theconveyor after the articles travel beyond the label applying station,and a movable contact that bears against a different portion of thelongitudinal length of the article from that portion to which the labelwas applied, and that rolls the articles on said support while they areheld part away out of said notches by said support.

3. A labeling machine for generally cylindrical articles, said machinecomprising a conveyor having notches spaced along its length for holdingsuccessive articles, a label applying station located at a region alongthe conveyor and including apparatus that attaches a label to an articleat the station along one edge of the label, a support extending along aportion of the length of the conveyor beyond the label attachingstation, said support being in the path of the articles and beginning ata location beyond the label attaching station in position to lift thearticles part way out of the notches of the conveyor, endless beltsabove the articles and with which the articles are brought into contactwhen raised in the notches of the conveyor by said support, the endlessbelts having surfaces with a coefilcient of friction greater than thatof the support, and each of said endless belts being located beyondthe'label and on a different side of the label longitudinally of thearticle, and spring means maintaining a yielding pressure of thearticles against the endless belt.

4. A labeling machine comprising a conveyor having surfaces spaced alongits length for holding articles that are to be labeled, a labelattaching station located at a region along the course of the conveyor,intermittent-motion driving mechanism for the conveyor with means forstopping the conveyor for a limited period as each article reaches theattaching station, an endless belt above the level of the conveyor andhaving one run extending generally parallel to the conveyor, a supportbeginning at a location beyond the label attaching station and extendingalong a portion of the length of the conveyor beyond the attachingstation, said support being located in position to lift the articles outof contact with the article holding surfaces of the conveyor and intocontact with the endless belt,

and power mechanism for driving the belt continuously and at a speedsomewhat higher than the maximum speed of the conveyor during itsintermittent motion.

5. A labeling machine comprising a conveyor having surfaces for holdingarticles spaced along the length of said conveyor, a label applyingstation located along the course of the conveyor, a platform at one sideof the conveyor beginning at a location beyond the label attachingstation and extending along a portion of the length of the conveyorbeyond the label applying station, a device at said station that appliesone axiallyextending edge of a label to each article as it comes to thelabel applying station, said platform having an inclined surface thatextends from a level below the bottom of an article on the conveyor tothe level somewhat higher than the bottom of the article so thatsuccessive articles extending beyond the sides of the conveyor arelifted by said platform with a camming action as the conveyor advancesthe articles along the length of the platform, a belt located at a levelhigher than the platform and in position to contact with articles thatare lifted by the platform, said belt having a plurality of idlerrollers along the run of the belt that contacts with the articles, andsaid platform having springs that hold the articles against the beltwith a yielding force, mechanism that drives the belt at a faster speedthan the conveyor, and a pad located under the region of the article towhich the label is applied, said pad being'in position to bear lightlyagainst the label to wipe and smooth the label as the article is rotatedby the belt across the pad with friction contact.

6. A labeling machine including a conveyor that advances successivearticles through the machine, a label applying station with means thatconnect an adhesive label to each article along one edge of the label,article rolling apparatus beyond th label attaching station includingone or more devices that contact with the article at zones beyond theregion to which the label is applied, and a pad that is located betweenthe zones of contact of said rolling apparatus with the article andthat'wipes across the label to bring the entire adhesive surface of thelabel into contact with the article as the article is rotated by thearticle rolling means.

7. A machine for attaching labels to the surface of generallycylindrical articles, said machine comprising a conveyor with surfacesfor holding articles at spaced locations along its length with thearticles positioned so that their axes extend substantially at rightangles to the direction of movement of the conveyor, a fixed frame onwhich the conveyor moves, label attaching mechanism that moves through astroke toward and from the conveyor and into contact withsuccessivearticles to attach one edge only of a label to the articles aseach article reaches a label attaching station of the machine, rollingapparatus located beyond the label attaching station and along the pathof the articles as they move along the conveyor, to wipe the entire areaof the label into contact with the article, bearings on which the labelattaching mechanism moves through its stroke, other bear' ings on whichthe rolling apparatus operates, and mechanism for adjusting saidbearings toward and from the fixed frame to accommodate the machine toarticles of difierent diameter.

8. A label attaching machine comprising a fixed frame and another framemovable toward and from the fixed frame, a conveyor with spaced surfacesthat hold articles as they are carried through the machine by theconveyor, bearing means supporting the conveyor from the fixed frame, alabel attaching station with mechanism that moves through a'stroketoward and from the conveyor to attach a label, along one edge only ofthe label, to each successive article as it reaches the label attachingstation, a belt having a run extending generally parallel to theconveyor and in position to contact with and rotate articles carried bythe conveyor beyond the label attaching station to wipe the entire areaof the label into contact with the article, bearings on which the labelattaching mechanism moves through its stroke, other bearings from which11' the belt is operated and supported, all of said bearings beingcarried by the movable frame and being adjustable therewith toaccommodate the machine to articles of different size.

9. A label attaching machine comprising a fixed frame, two endless beltconveyors extending parallel to the conveyor and spaced from oneanother, rotatable supporting means for the conveyors carried by thefixed frame, article holding means spaced from on another along thelength of each conveyor and in position to hold elongated substantiallycylindrical articles with the articles extending across the spacebetween the conveyors and with the axes of the articles substantially atright angles to the direction of movement of the conveyors, a labelattaching station located along the length of'one of the conveyors, twoendless belts, each having a run extending substantially parallelto andalong a portion of a run of on of'the conveyors, said belts beinglocated in position to contact with successive articles on the conveyorsat regions adjacent to opposite ends of said articles and only at saidregions for applying equal rotating force to the opposite ends of saidarticles as they travel along the length of the conveyors, and mechanismfor moving the belts at a speed in excess of the speed of the conveyors.

10. A label attaching machine including a conveyor on which there arespaced holders for articles that are to be moved through the machine, alabel applying station along the course of the conveyor, a label feeddevice at said station, common driving mechanism for the conveyor andlabel feed device, motion transmitting means between the common drivingmechanism and'the label feed device including a cam follower thatoperates the label feed device, a cam for displacing the follower, andan automatic clutch that stops the cam after each operation when thefollower is in position to retract the label feeding device.

11. The label attaching machine called for by claim with the camoperated by a one-turn clutch which automatically disengages after eachoperation of the label feeding device, and clutch control means forinitiating another operation of the clutch, said control means includinga trip element that is displaced by each article as it reaches the labelapplying station.

12. A label attaching machine comprising a conveyor with means forholding successive articles at predetermined spaced'regions along theconveyor, a label applying station along the course of the conveyor, alabel feed device that moves successive labels into position forattaching them to successive articles, a ram that presses each labelinto contact with the corresponding article, cam means that operate thelabel feeding device, other cam means that operate the ram, a commonshaft for both of the cam means, and a common one-turn clutch thatoperates the shaft in timed relation with the movement of the conveyor.

13. A label attaching machine including a conveyor with means forholding articles at spaced regions along the length of said conveyor, aplatform located along the conveyor, said platform having a sloping camsurface at a region intermediate the opposite ends of the travel of thearticles throughthe machine, the cam extending from a lower level upwardinto the path of the articles to lift the successive articles on theconveyor during a portion of their travel, and means for causing thearticles to roll on the platform while thus lifted with respect to theconveyor.

14. A label attaching machine including a conveyor with means'forholding an article while both ends of the article project beyond thesides of the conveyor, guides extending parallel with the conveyor andin position to prevent transverse displacement of the articles on theconveyor, platforms extending lengthwise of the conveyor and located onboth sides of the conveyor, said platforms having sloping cam surfacesat a region intermediate the, opposite ends of the travel of thearticles through the machine, the cams extending from a lower levelupward into the path of the articles to lift successive articles in theconveyor during a portion of their travel, and means forrolling articlesalong said platforms while thus lifted in the conveyor.

15. A label attaching machine including a conveyor with retainingsurfaces for holding articles at spaced regionsalong the length of theconveyor as they travel toward a discharge end of the'conveyor, aplatform extending along a portion of the course of the'convey-or nearerto the discharge end of the conveyor and in the path of the articles onthe conveyonsaid platform comprising a sloping: surface with whichsuccessive articles come into contact and by which said articles arelifted with a camming action to remove the weight ofthe articles fromthe conveyor while leaving the articles still below the upper limits ofsaid retaining surface, spring means yieldingly supporting the platform,and rolling apparatus including a moving surface located above theplatform, and in contact with the articles that are raised by theplatform for causing rotation of said articles as they move along theplatform.

JOSEPH WEIMONT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 539,659 Adamson May 21, 1895 1,700,005 Wall Jan. 22, 1921,968,881 Edwards Aug. 7, 1934 2,087,472 Dyment July 20, 1937 2,168,422Rider Aug. 8, 1039 2,214,096 Weiss Sept. 10, 1040 I 2,276,958 GoldsmithMar. 17, 1942 2,362,413 Shields Nov. 7, 1944 2,424,540 Bogoslowsky lJuly 29, 1947 2,468,619 Franke Apr. 26, 1949 2,495,003 Haas Jan. 17,1950 2,525,741 Von Hofe Oct. 10, 1950

